U.S. patent number 7,844,907 [Application Number 10/272,373] was granted by the patent office on 2010-11-30 for system and method for dynamic modification of web content.
Invention is credited to Jonathan Phillips, William Watler, David Young.
United States Patent |
7,844,907 |
Watler , et al. |
November 30, 2010 |
System and method for dynamic modification of web content
Abstract
A system and method for dynamic modification and generation of
data. One embodiment includes an annotation server that is
connected to a user and a content provider. The annotation server
is configured to modify a copy of an enterprise's stored Web
content without necessarily modifying the actual stored Web
content. The annotation server then provides the modified content
to the user for viewing or other use.
Inventors: |
Watler; William (Evergreen,
CO), Phillips; Jonathan (Golden, CO), Young; David
(Boulder, CO) |
Family
ID: |
32092596 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/272,373 |
Filed: |
October 16, 2002 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20040075686 A1 |
Apr 22, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/762; 715/790;
715/765; 715/808; 715/760; 715/744; 715/735 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
16/958 (20190101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
3/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;345/744,735,760,762,763,764,765,808
;715/744,735,760,762,763,764,765,808,790 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0 829 996 |
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Mar 1998 |
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EP |
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WO97/44767 |
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Nov 1997 |
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WO |
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WO98/32107 |
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Jul 1998 |
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WO |
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WO 99/01826 |
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Jan 1999 |
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WO |
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WO 00/29977 |
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May 2000 |
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WO |
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WO 02/082323 |
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Oct 2002 |
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WO |
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WO 2004/036358 |
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Apr 2004 |
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WO |
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cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Lo; Weilun
Assistant Examiner: Tran; Mylinh
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Frost Brown Todd LLC Morriss;
William S.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for modifying a copy of original Web-page code stored
at a content provider, the method comprising the steps of:
responsive to a request from a user for Web content, receiving, at
an annotation server, the copy of the original Web-page code,
wherein the copy of the original Web-page code includes executable
code associated with a data item: determining an operational
modification that should be applied to the copy of the original
Web-page code, wherein the determined operational modification is
associated with the data item; modifying the copy of the original
Web-page code according to the determined operational modification,
wherein the original Web-page code stored at the content provider
is not modified responsive to modifying the copy of the original
Web-page code; providing the modified copy of original Web-page
code to the user; and wherein the data item comprises a graphical
object which comprises a graphics-based animation object which
comprises Flash content.
2. A method for modifying a copy of original Web-page code stored
at a content provider, the method comprising the steps of:
responsive to a request from a user for Web content, receiving, at
an annotation server, the copy of the original Web-page code,
wherein the copy of the original Web-page code includes executable
code associated with a data item: determining an operational
modification that should be applied to the copy of the original
Web-page code, wherein the determined operational modification is
associated with the data item; modifying the copy of the original
Web-page code according to the determined operational modification,
wherein the original Web-page code stored at the content provider
is not modified responsive to modifying the copy of the original
Web-page code; providing the modified copy of original Web-page
code to the user comprising: providing the modified copy of the
original Web-page code from the annotation server directly to the
user; and wherein modifying the copy of the original Web-page code
comprises insertion of executable code configured to monitor for
the user to enter data into a field.
3. A method for modifying original content received from a content
provider, the method comprising the steps of: receiving the
original content from the content provider, the original content
including a content object; determining a modification that should
be applied to the original content, wherein the determined
modification is associated with the content object included in the
received original content; modifying the received-original content
according to the determined modification; providing the
modified-original content to a user wherein the modified-original
content, from the user's perspective, appears to originate from the
content provider; wherein modifying the original content comprises
inserting executable code into the original content which comprises
inserting JavaScript into the original content.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the original content comprises a
field for user data entry and wherein the inserted executable code
is configurable to validate the data entered into the field in a
Web-based form against data previously provided by the content
provider.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is related to commonly owned and assigned
application nos: Ser. No. 08/651,422, entitled AGENT BASED
INSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD, filed May 22, 1996; Ser. No.
09/042,528, entitled AGENT BASED INSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD,
filed Mar. 15, 1998; Ser. No. 09/424,353 entitled AGENT BASED
INSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD, filed Nov. 22, 1999; Ser. No.
09/518,916, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING A PRODUCT
CONFIGURATION, filed Mar. 3, 2000; Ser. No. 09/669,251, entitled
E-COMMERCE SALES SUPPORT SYSTEM USING A VENDOR-SPECIFIC PRODUCT
DECISION QUESTIONNAIRE, filed Sep. 25, 2000; Ser. No. 09/945,032,
entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN
BROWSER FRAMES, filed Aug. 31, 2001; Ser. No. 09/944,676, entitled
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED END-USER SUPPORT, filed Aug. 2001;
and Ser. No. 09/944,836, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED
END-USER SUPPORT, filed Aug. 31, 2001; all of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to dynamic modification and
generation of data. In particular, but not by way of limitation,
the present invention relates to systems and methods for
dynamically modifying and generating markup-language code and other
web-presentation content.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As the role of the Internet grows in business, enterprises are
investing significant resources in developing intuitive,
informative and easy-to-use Web-sites. In fact, sophisticated
Web-sites are critical to the business model of many
enterprises--whether those enterprises are traditional
brick-and-mortar retailers, e-commerce retailers, vendors, or
suppliers. These sophisticated Web-sites are difficult to build and
equally as difficult to maintain. Because of these difficulties,
enterprises are understandably protective of their Web-site content
and are reluctant to integrate new functionality or implement
desired changes.
Sophisticated Web-sites need the ability to efficiently modify
their content, monitor a user's browsing activities, and/or control
the user's navigation through the Web-site. These functions, for
the most part, can be integrated directly into an enterprise's
Web-site code. (The enterprise's Web-site code is referred to as
"stored Web content," and can include content, presentation
instructions, embedded code, operational code, and/or any
combination of the above.) When an e-commerce retailer, for
example, wants to add an "On Sale" icon next to a particular
product, the retailer usually adds code for the icon directly into
its stored Web content. Of course, when the retailer wants to
remove the icon, the corresponding code should be removed from the
retailer's stored Web content. Similarly, when an enterprise wants
to monitor and control the navigation of a user within its
Web-site, code such as JavaScript is generally directly integrated
into the stored Web content.
Modifying stored Web content, whether it be to add text and images
or to add functionality such as monitoring and navigation control,
is burdensome. Additionally, staff and financial limitations
restrict an enterprise's ability to modify its stored Web content.
In particular, in-house technology staffs are often not equipped or
do not have time to add sophisticated functionality to an
enterprise's Web-site. Thus, if these sophisticated functionalities
are not readily available from third-party vendors, they are
generally not implemented. Unfortunately, enterprises are
understandably reluctant to allow third-party vendors to integrate
functionality into their stored Web content because of the risk of
increased downtime for their Web-site.
Because of the staff and financial limitations and the desire to
protect the integrity of their stored Web content, enterprises
generally prefer to implement certain functionality with only a
minimal amount of changes to their stored Web content. In other
words, enterprises would prefer to separate certain functionalities
from their stored Web content. Present technology and Web-site
security requirements, however, force enterprises to integrate much
functionality directly into their stored Web content. Accordingly,
enterprises often forego integrating needed functionality into
their Web-sites.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention that are shown in
the drawings are summarized below. These and other embodiments are
more fully described in the Detailed Description section. It is to
be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the
invention to the forms described in this Summary of the Invention
or in the Detailed Description. One skilled in the art can
recognize that there are numerous modifications, equivalents and
alternative constructions that fall within the spirit and scope of
the invention as expressed in the claims.
The present invention, in one embodiment, includes a system and
method for separating content, control, editing and/or monitoring
functions in a Web environment. Other embodiments are directed at
non-Web environments such as graphical user interfaces (GUIs),
image rendering systems, text rendering systems, non-Web HTML
rendering systems, and non-Web XML rendering systems.
In one embodiment, the described invention includes an annotation
server that is connected to a user (operating a browser such as
Microsoft's Internet Explorer) and a content provider, which is
often an enterprise's Web server and associated content. The
annotation server is configured to modify a copy of an enterprise's
stored Web content without necessarily modifying the actual stored
Web content. For clarity, the copy of the stored Web content that
is provided to the annotation server is referred to as "original
content." The annotation server, thus, receives and modifies
"original content." Once the original content has been modified, it
is referred to as "modified content." The annotation server
generally provides the modified content to the user--although the
modified content can be routed back to the Web server and then to
the user.
The annotation server can intercept or monitor communications
between the content provider and the user, thereby enabling one
embodiment of the annotation server to perform content
modification, event monitoring, session state management, and
navigation control. Notably, the annotation server can implement
one or all of these functions on the fly with little or no
modification to the stored Web content.
Referring first to the annotation server's content modification
functionality, it allows original content served up from the
content provider to be modified and edited without otherwise
changing the stored Web content. For example, the annotation server
can intercept the original content bound for the user, identify any
embedded links in the original content, and replace those links
with new or modified links such that the original links can be
redirected to point to alternative locations. In this embodiment,
the links are replaced or modified without altering the stored Web
content.
In another embodiment of the annotation server, it can insert text
and images into the original content and/or edit existing text and
images in the original content. For example, the annotation server
can insert a "SALE" icon into the original content next to a
particular product. The modified content, including the inserted
"SALE" icon, could then be transmitted from the annotation server
to the user such that the icon would be displayed next to the
relevant product. As previously described, inserting an icon into a
Web page generally requires the corresponding stored Web content to
be modified. That is, the code for the icon would be inserted into
the stored Web content. Using the annotation server, however, the
modification is performed dynamically on a copy of that stored
data, i.e., the original content, and the stored Web content is not
necessarily modified.
The annotation server can also include an event monitoring
functionality that can be implemented without significant
modification of the stored Web content. In one embodiment, the
annotation server can monitor a user's navigation of a Web-site.
For example, when a user selects an embedded link that points to
the content provider, the annotation server can intercept the
selection of the link, modify the link if necessary, and then pass
the link or some representation thereof to the content provider. By
intercepting the link, the annotation server can remain aware of
the current content being viewed by the user. This location
awareness is useful for online help and customer support functions
that need to know what the user is viewing.
In another event-monitoring embodiment, the annotation server could
monitor and validate data entered into a Web-based form with little
or no interaction with the content provider. Essentially, this
implementation of the annotation server isolates parts of the
form-validation function from the content provider, thereby
allowing the content provider to build a less complex Web-site.
Consider the case of making an airline reservation online. The
annotation server could detect the user's entry into the
destination field, and before the entry was submitted to the
airline's Web server, the annotation server could verify that the
destination entered by the user is proper. If the destination is
not proper, the annotation server could dynamically modify the
displayed Web page to indicate the error. For example, the
annotation server could insert a text bubble informing the user of
the error and how to remedy it. Because the annotation server
monitors the user's entries and validates them on the fly,
interaction with the airline's Web server is not necessarily
required.
In another embodiment, the annotation server detects a "form
submit" executed by the user. Generally, when a user chooses to
submit a form, the user's browser submits the form directly to the
content provider. In this embodiment, however, the browser submits
the form to the annotation server instead of the content provider.
The annotation server then verifies the entries in the form against
data previously provided by the content provider. If the entries in
the form are correct, the form is submitted to the content
provider. If the entries in the form are not correct, the
annotation server identifies the incorrect entries, generates an
appropriate error message, and dynamically inserts the error
message into the page that the user is viewing. The incorrect
entries are not necessarily submitted to the content provider.
The annotation server can also include navigation control functions
that can be independent of or integrated with the other annotation
server functionalities. In one embodiment, the annotation server
has the ability to automatically navigate a content provider's
Web-site. For example, the annotation server could automatically
identify and select a link to an alternate page within the
Web-site. In other embodiments, the annotation server could embed
anchors into a Web page and subsequently scroll the page to a
particular anchor. For example, the annotation server could scroll
a page to the relevant material that answers a user's questions
rather than force the user to locate and scroll the page
manually.
As previously stated, the above-described embodiments and
implementations are for illustration purposes only. The principles
of the present invention can be used in non-Web-based environments.
These and numerous other embodiments, implementations, and details
of the invention are easily recognized by those of skill in the art
from the following descriptions and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various objects and advantages and a more complete understanding of
the present invention are apparent and more readily appreciated by
reference to the following Detailed Description and to the appended
claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system constructed in accordance
with the principles of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an alternate system constructed in
accordance with the principles of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an illustration of a Web page with three frames;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of one method for replacing content in a
multi-frame Web page;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of one method for controlling pop-up displays
in a Web environment;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of one method for inserting links into a Web
page;
FIG. 7 is a flow chart of one method for automatically relocating a
Web page; and
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of one method for validating an entry in an
online form.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, where like or similar elements are
designated with identical reference numerals throughout the several
views, and referring in particular to FIG. 1, it illustrates a
block diagram of a system 100 constructed in accordance with the
principles of the present invention. This embodiment includes an
annotation server 105, a content provider 110--consisting of stored
Web content 115 and a Web server 120--and a Web browser 125 (also
referred to as the "user"). Each of these components can be
attached to the same network, such as the Internet, or attached to
different networks such as LANs, WANs, etc. Additionally, this
embodiment includes separate paths from the content provider 110 to
the user 125--a path that goes through the annotation server 105
and a path that directly connects the content provider 110 with the
user 125. The hardware and software components of servers, networks
and storage devices are well known in the arts and are not
described further. Similarly, the hardware and software components
of the annotation server 105 as described are recognizable by those
of skill in the art. For example, the annotation server 105 could
include basic server hardware and software, intermediate language
engines, a Linux or Microsoft operating system, etc.
The annotation server 105 is arranged so that it can conditionally
intercept communications otherwise directed from the content
provider 110 to the user 125 and dynamically alter, monitor and
control the content being served to the user. "Intercepting"
includes, but is not limited to, directing the content provider 110
to route content bound for the user 125 to the annotation server
105 instead of the user 125. For example, "intercepting" could
include the annotation server 105 directing the user 125 to return
data for the annotation server's IP address instead of the Web
server's IP address.
The annotation server 105 can also conditionally intercept
communications from the user 125 to the content provider 110. In
one embodiment, the annotation server 105 modifies the embedded
links in the original content received from the content provider
110 such that the embedded links point to the annotation server 105
instead of the content provider 110. For example, the original Web
page could be located at "www.buy.com" and an embedded link could
refer to "www.buy.com/computers." The annotation server 105 could
modify this link so that it points to
"www.annotation_server.com/buy/computers." When the user 125
selects what appears to be the "www.buy.com/computers" link, the
user 125 is actually routed to
"www.annotation_server.com/buy/computers." Thus, the annotation
server 105 has "intercepted" the communication between the user 125
and the content provider 110. This process is described in more
detail herein.
Referring now to FIG. 2, it is a block diagram of an alternate
system 130 constructed in accordance with the principles of the
present invention. In this embodiment, the annotation server 105 is
integrated with the content provider 110. Instead of operating as a
separate system, the annotation server 105, in this embodiment, is
integrated with the content provider 110. As with the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1, the annotation server 105 can modify, monitor and
control the content being served to the user 125 with minimal
disturbance to the content provider's stored Web content 115.
Otherwise, the operation of this embodiment is similar to the
operation of the system 100 shown in FIG. 1.
Original Content Editing and Modification
FIGS. 4-6 illustrate exemplary embodiments for modifying original
content, such as XML, HTML, Flash, etc., served up by a content
provider 110 without substantially changing the stored Web content
115. The exemplary methods illustrated in these figures enable
content providers 115 to outsource certain editing and modification
functions or to integrate annotation server 105 technology into
their own system to make temporary or conditional editing and
modification less burdensome. The methods can be applied to Web
applications, Web content-delivery sites, and other content
delivery systems.
Referring now to FIG. 4, it illustrates a flowchart of one method
for replacing content in a multi-frame or multi-table Web page.
This method could be used for replacing content in any partitioned
or subdivided material. In this embodiment, the annotation server
105 can identify one of the frames or tables within a Web page and
dynamically replace the content therein with new content. FIG. 3,
for example, illustrates a Web page 135 with three frames: Frame A,
Frame B, and Frame C. The annotation server 105 can identify Frame
A, and dynamically replace the content therein with new content
such as a virtual sales agent described in patent application Ser.
No. 09/944,836, entitled System and Method for Automated End-User
Support, filed Aug. 31, 2001. Similarly, the annotation server 105
could identify tables within a page that does not include frames
and replace the content within that table. Additionally, the
annotation server 105 could identify a table within a frame and
replace content within that table.
To dynamically replace the content in a frame, the annotation
server 105 initially identifies the frames in a Web page being
viewed by the user. Step 140. The annotation server 105 then
selects one frame for replacement. Step 145. Preferably, the
selected frame is a secondary frame, e.g., a banner or index frame,
and not the main frame that contains the primary information that
the user is viewing. Once the frame has been selected, the
annotation server 105 retrieves the replacement content, determines
the size of the selected frame, and sizes the replacement content
to fit in the selected frame. Step 150. The replacement content is
then served to the user and displayed in the selected frame. Steps
160 and 165. The annotation server 105 then replaces the content of
the selected frame with the replacement content. Step 155. The
annotation server 105 does not necessarily alter the other frames.
Notably, this method can also be adapted to modify tables.
From the user's perspective, all of the viewed content originates
from the content provider 110. In reality, the replacement content
originates from the annotation server 105 and the content in the
other frames originates from the content provider 110. The
annotation server 105, in this embodiment, can dynamically edit the
material in the selected frame or table without otherwise involving
the stored Web content 115. Thus, the annotation server 105 allows
a content provider 110 to change significantly the user's browsing
experience without requiring the content provider 110 to
significantly modifying its stored Web content.
The annotation server's replacement of content can be conditional
based upon a user's actions. For example, the replacement of
content can be responsive to a user selecting a "HELP" button.
Thus, the annotation server 105 can be engaged and disengaged based
upon the user's actions. When the annotation server is disengaged,
the Web server 120 can continue to operate normally because this
embodiment of the annotation server 105 is not integrated into the
Web server 120. In other words, the Web server 120 can be
independent of the annotation server 105.
Referring now to FIG. 5, it is a flowchart of another method for
modifying original content served up by a content provider 110
without substantially changing the content provider's stored Web
content 115. This particular embodiment involves management of
interstitials and pop-up windows. In particular, this embodiment
suppresses pop-up windows and places the pop-up window content in a
frame of the already displayed Web page. This suppression can
prevent certain material from being covered by a pop-up window,
i.e., moved to the background. This method, for example, is
beneficial in online help situations where Frame A (shown in FIG.
3) includes a virtual agent that should not be covered by a pop-up
window. Pop-up windows and interstitials are well known and
documented in the art, and their implementation is not described
herein.
In this embodiment, the user selects a Web page from the content
provider 110. Step 170. This Web page is then provided from the
content provider to the annotation server 105. Step 175.
Alternately, the Web page may be cached at an alternate location,
including the annotation server 105. Once the annotation server 105
receives the page, the annotation server 105 can determine if the
page includes pop-up window instructions. Step 180. If the page
includes such instructions, the annotation server 105 alters the
instructions in the received page such that the pop-up instructions
are suppressed, e.g., removed or edited. Step 185. The altered page
is then provided to the user. Step 190. When the user selects a
link within the page that was previously associated with a pop-up
window, the content is rendered in the existing window. Step
195.
Referring now to FIG. 6, it is a flowchart of yet another method
for modifying original content served up by a content provider 110
without substantially changing the content provider's stored Web
content 115. This particular embodiment involves link, image, and
icon insertion (collectively referred to as "objects"). As
previously described, the annotation server 105 can replace
embedded links in Web content with new or modified links. In one
embodiment, the annotation server 105 can direct all or some
portion of the embedded links within a Web page to its IP address
instead of the content provider's IP address. Similarly, the
annotation server 105 can insert text, images, or icons, which are
associated with executable code, into a content provider's original
content. For example, the annotation server 105 could insert a
"SALE" icon next to all SONY.TM. TVs, and when the user selects the
icon, embedded code can be executed that gives details of the sale.
By using the annotation server 105, the content provider 110 does
not need to modify its stored Web content 115 to reflect the "SALE"
icon and the related code. The annotation server 105 stores the
icon and code information and dynamically inserts it into the
original content. Thus, the content provider 110 can make temporary
or conditional changes to the appearance of its Web-site without
otherwise changing its stored Web content 115.
Still referring to FIG. 6, the annotation server 105 intercepts
original content that is directed to the user 125. Step 205. The
annotation server 105 then determines which objects that it should
search for in the original content Step 210. For example, the
annotation server 105 could search a list of sale items and
corresponding annotations that are designated by the retailer. Upon
receiving original content from the particular retailer, the
annotation server 105 would search the content for any of the sale
items. The annotation server 105 could search for words, phrases,
images, tables, links, etc. If a sale item is located, the
appropriate object is inserted into the original content and that
modified content is served to the user 125. Steps 215, 220 and 225.
As with other embodiments, the user's browsing experience is
significantly changed without requiring the content provider 110 to
significantly change its stored Web content 115.
Navigation Control
FIG. 7 illustrates one method for controlling navigation in a
Web-site. As with the above-described modification functionality,
the control functionality can be implemented in the annotation
server 105, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for stored Web
content 115 to be modified. In this embodiment, the annotation
server 105 can automatically scroll to or highlight material on a
Web page. For example, assume that a user 125 is viewing a first
Web page concerning a retailer's policies. The Web page may contain
information regarding returns, warranties, returned checks, gift
certificates, etc. The user 125, however, may only want to know the
mailing address to which returns should be sent. If the user 125
poses this question to a virtual sales agent driven by the
annotation server 105--possibly displayed in an accompanying
frame--the annotation server 105 could locate the information in
the Web page content and automatically scroll the page to the
relevant material.
In one embodiment of the navigation control functionality, the
annotation server 105 receives Web page content and identifies
target content therein. Steps 230 and 232. The annotation server
can then insert anchor objects, which may be hidden, into the
received Web page content in association with the identified target
content. Step 234. The modified Web page content can then be
transmitted to the user for viewing. Steps 236 and 238. When the
user selects an object within the page or submits a question, the
appropriate anchor object can be located and the Web page can be
repositioned accordingly. Steps 240 and 242. In other embodiments,
the annotation server 105 can search the original content for
relevant strings, such as "return address," and scroll the page to
that point. Both embodiments can be implemented with a minimal
amount of modification to the stored Web content 115.
In yet other embodiments, the annotation server 105 can determine
that the page being viewed by the user 125 does not contain the
requested information and automatically request another page from
the content provider 110. In essence, the annotation server 105 is
navigating the content provider's Web-site for the user 125.
Although the content provider's stored Web content 115 is not
necessarily modified, the content provider 110 should provide the
annotation server 105 with a site map for the relevant portions of
the stored Web content 115.
Event Monitoring
Referring now to FIG. 8, it is a flowchart of one method for
monitoring a user's actions on a Web page, including form submits,
navigation events, field submits, etc. This particular embodiment
involves monitoring and validating fields in a Web-based form such
as those commonly used by e-commerce sites and online travel
reservation sites. Initially, the annotation server 105 intercepts
the user-bound original content that includes the form being
monitored. Step 245. The annotation server 105 identifies a target
field then inserts executable code, such as JavaScript, into the
original content. Steps 250 and 255. This executable code can
validate the entries in the form without submitting the entries to
the annotation server 105 or the content provider 110. The modified
content is then served to the user 125 as if it originated from the
content provider 110. Step 260.
The executable code that is inserted into the original content can
monitor for the user 125 to enter data into the monitored field.
Generally, the executable code can detect when the user 125 enters
or exits the field. Step 265. Once the field has been exited, the
executable code can validate the entry. Step 270. For example, the
executable code may determine that an expiration date on a credit
card has expired, that a required field was left blank, or that a
particular flight destination is not available. Assuming that an
entry is invalid, the embedded executable code can generate an
error message and a recommendation, or the executable code can
notify the annotation server 105, and the annotation server 105 can
generate the error message and the recommendation. Step 275. In
either embodiment, however, the error can be handled before the
data is submitted to the content provider 110.
In other embodiments, the annotation server 105 detects when the
user 125 submits a form to the content provider 110, and validates
the form before it is actually submitted. For example, the user 125
could fill out an airline reservation request and submit it to the
airline. The annotation server 105, however, could intercept the
request and validate the information in the request by comparing it
against information previously provided by the airline or by
comparing it against logical rules such as a "departure date must
be before a return date." If the data in the form is correct, then
the form is passed to the airline for official processing. The
annotation server 105 is not necessarily responsible for checking
information such as flight availability, pricing, etc. Rather, the
annotation server 105 generally--but not always--validates the form
of the entries, not the substance.
When the annotation server 105 determines that the submitted data
contains an error, the annotation server 105 can invoke a virtual
sales agent, or it can generate an error message that directs the
user 125 to the source of the error. For example, the annotation
server 105 could scroll the viewed Web page to the incorrect entry
and insert a text bubble indicating the type of error and the
required information. From the user's perspective, the error
message and assistance originates from the airline. In reality, the
airline is unaware that the user 125 entered incorrect information
because the annotation server 105 intercepted the incorrect
information before it was submitted to the airline.
In conclusion, the present invention provides, among other things,
a system and method for dynamically modifying and generating
markup-language code. Those skilled in the art can readily
recognize that numerous variations and substitutions may be made in
the invention, its use and its configuration to achieve
substantially the same results as achieved by the embodiments
described herein. Accordingly, there is no intention to limit the
invention to the disclosed exemplary forms. Many variations,
modifications and alternative constructions fall within the scope
and spirit of the disclosed invention as expressed in the
claims.
* * * * *
References